Your team’s success depends on this conversation

You step into a new leadership role and focus where most managers do: building trust with your team, proving you can handle the pressure, and showing you were the right choice.

But here’s the trap: while you’re looking down, your boss is looking ahead.
And if you don’t see success the same way, you can spend months running fast in the wrong direction.

George Bradt, in The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan, puts it simply: one of your first tasks as a leader is to align with your boss. Skip it, and you risk burning out your team on work that doesn’t matter.

Misalignment multiplies as it travels down.
If your boss is chasing efficiency while you’re driving growth, your team feels the whiplash. Priorities blur. Confidence drops.

Alignment isn’t about compromise, it’s about clarity. When you and your boss define success the same way, you give your team permission to execute with confidence. Without it, even wins feel flat.

Here’s a simple way to build alignment in your first 90 days (or at any turning point):

• Clarify the mission. Ask: “What do you see as the highest priority for my team right now?”

• Check alignment. Ask: “When you think about the next quarter, what outcomes will matter most to you?”

• Share back. Confirm what you heard: “Here’s how I’m understanding your priorities…”

• Build rhythm. Use regular check-ins to keep expectations from drifting.

This week, ask your boss what matters most right now for your team.
Then listen, and share back what you heard.
You might be surprised how much clarity (and relief) comes from a five-minute conversation.

Cheers,

Jeff